This monitoring period covers the spring and wet summer season in Mongolia from April to July. Wheat, the main cereal crop, was sown in early May. It will reach maturity in September. The proportion of irrigated cropland in Mongolia is only 2.9% and crop growth is mainly limited by rainfall. The NDVI development graph shows that crop conditions were close to the five-year maximum. As compared to the fifteen-year average, RAIN decreased by 5% during the whole monitoring period but was sufficient from June to July. TEMP and RADPAR were slightly above 15YA (+0.2°C and +2%), and BIOMSS was equal to the 15YA.

According to the spatial distribution of NDVI profiles, only 19.2% of the area of Mongolia had above-average conditions during the sowing stage. However, subsequently, 71.7% of the area had above-average conditions.  The below-average areas were mainly in the east of Hangai Khuvsgul region and the west of Selenge-Onon region, where the VCIx graph also shows poor crop conditions (VCIx is between 0.5 and 0.8). The national VCIx was 0.92.

Overall, crop prospects in Mongolia are favorable. In addition, The Crop Production Index (CPI) was 1.20 for Mongolia, which also indicates favorable crop prospects.

Regional analysis

Hangai Khuvsgul region: 

 The NDVI development graph and the spatial distribution of NDVI profiles show that the crop conditions in this region were near average during the monitoring period. As for the agro-climate indicators, RAIN decreased by 9%, while TEMP and RADPAR increased by 0.2°C and 2%. BIOMSS decreased by 2%. The regional average VCIx was 0.87. Crop prospects for this region were normal.

Selenge-Onon region: 

Crop conditions in this region were significantly above average since late June, and close to the five-year maximum. All the agro-climate indicators of RAIN, TEMP, RADPAR, and BIOMSS were slightly above average. And most of this region had VCIx values of 0.8 to 1.0. The regional average VCIx was 0.93. Overall crop prospects for this region are favorable.

Central and Eastern Steppe Region: 

Although the agro-climate indicators in this region seem to be slightly unfavorable (RAIN, RADPAR, and BIOMSS decreased by 13%, 1%, and 4%, while TEMP increased by 0.2°C), the spatial distribution of NDVI profiles shows that most areas have above-average conditions during this period. And the NDVI development graph shows that crop conditions in this region were better than the five-year maximum in June and July, which is the key growing stage for wheat. Therefore, the crop conditions for this region are expected to be favorable. The CPI was 1.29 for this region, which also indicates very favorable crop prospects.

Figure 3.31 Mongolia’s crop condition, April - July 2022

(a) Phenology of major crops
(b) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI	(c) Maximum VCI
(d) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA                                       (e) NDVI profiles
(f) Rainfall profiles                                       (g) Temperature profiles
(h) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Hangai Khuvsgul Region (left) and Selenge-Onon Region (right))
(i) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI (Central and Eastern Steppe)

Table 3.54 Mongolia’s agroclimatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values, and departure from 15YA, April - July 2022

Table 3.55 Mongolia’s agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season’s values, and departure from 5YA, April - July 2022